Monash taps RMIT's Margaret Gardner as VC to succeed Ed Byrne

MONASH University has tapped RMIT's Margaret Gardner to succeed Ed Byrne as vice chancellor.

MONASH University has tapped RMIT's Margaret Gardner to succeed Ed Byrne as vice chancellor from September next year.

Monash had already announced that Professor Byrne was leaving in September to become President of UK-based King's College London

Monash chancellor Alan Finkel said Professor Gardner's strong record and passion for globalised education and research made her a natural fit for Monash. "She has it in spades," he told the HES.

"Professor Gardner's extensive academic career combined with her expertise in economics, industrial relations and organisational management will further advance Monash University's position as a world-leading research institution, and continue to develop the opportunities offered to our students," Dr Finkel said.

Professor Gardner said Monash was a "strong expression of a modern university" with a global outlook, and it was a unique opportunity to engage internationally in education and research.

"Monash is a great university with a whole set of unique possibilities that are very exciting, especially in what it can do in research and education in the Asia-Pacific and the world," she said.

She assured Monash staff that her first priority will be to listen and engage. "My first focus is to engage with the university about the goals that it has," she said. "Before speculating you have to have a conversation," she said.

Professor Gardner's appointment will mean that Victoria's two Group of Eight rivals, Melbourne University and Monash, are run by VCs married to each other.

Asked how her new job will affect life with husband, Melbourne's Glyn Davis, Professor Gardner said her competitive focus was global rather than local. "The thing about universities is that they work in a world environment, it isn't about your backyard. It is about your engagement with the world," she said.

Dr Finkel likewise played down the rivalry saying there were strong collaborations between the two universities. "We aren't at each other throats," he said.

He added that Professor Gardner and Professor Davis were well accustomed to handling their professional roles as vice chancellors. "Both vice chancellors are focused on doing the best for their universities," he said.

Professor Gardner is leaving RMIT after more than nine years at the helm, and said she was sad to be leaving. "I have huge admiration and affection for RMIT," she said.

RMIT chancellor Ziggy Switkowski said he was disappointed to be losing Professor Gardner. "Professor Gardner leaves RMIT in excellent shape, as strong as ever in the hearts and minds of Melburnians but with truly global reach and presence, and an outstanding reputation for academic excellence in design and technology. We wish her well," Dr Switkowski said.

He noted that when she joined RMIT she inherited an operating loss, but over her time had delivered operating surpluses averaging 8 per cent of revenue.

Monash has a strong international focus with a recently opened joint graduate school and research centre in China with China's Southeast University. It also has campuses in Malaysia and South Africa and centres in Italy and India. It has an alliance with UK-based Warwick University.

RMIT has a campus in Vietnam that under Professor Gardner has grown from just over 1,000 students to 7,000 students, making it the largest foreign branch campus in the world. It has also recently established a presence in Barcelona.